"You are welcome."

"Henry! William!" Uncle William went to the door and called the
children.

Two boys came romping into the room.

"Boys," he said, "Mary is up in my room, and I want you to go up and
stay with her until I come."

Away scampered the little fellows as merry as crickets.

"They'll make sad work in your room, brother; and if they do, you
mustn't blame me for it."

"Oh, no, I shall not blame you, nor scold them, but endeavour to
apply some corrective that will make them think, and determine never
to do so again. However, I am pretty well satisfied that nothing
will be disturbed."

In less than an hour, Mrs. Elder and her brother went up to see what
the children were about. They found them seated on the floor, with
two or three loose packs of plain cards about them, out of which
they were forming various figures, by laying them together upon the
floor.

"Why, children! How could you take your uncle's cards?" said Mrs.
Elder reprovingly.

"He lets us play with them, mother," replied the oldest boy, turning